7: Annie and Emily

"Annie and Emily"

"Annie and Emily" are the only words written on this little grave. It's located in the Stanton family plot, which is fenced off by iron railings. The only other Stantons buried there are James P. and Jemima Stanton. Were they Annie and Emily's parents?

Yes, they were. In 1850, James P. and Jemima were living in New York City. Annie and Emily were with them, along with Adelade, Amelia, Eliza, and William. Jemima, according to the census, was born in England, making her the first person buried in the cemetery whom I know to have been born in another country. James worked as a butcher. 

1850 US Federal Census

This census places Annie's birth somewhere around 1839 and Emily's around 1844. This would mean that Jemima was only about 17 when Annie was born, unless Annie was James's daughter from a previous marriage.

Ten years later, James was living near the cemetery with Adelade, Eliza, and William. Presumably, Annie and Emily had died at this point. It's just a theory, but perhaps Annie and Emily had contracted an illness that prompted their parents to move the family out of the city for the sake of their health. Or perhaps, like the owners of the Merchant House Museum, the Stantons owned a house in New York City and a farm in the country. Or maybe James had simply become tired of being a butcher and decided to take up farming. Maybe his father had died, leaving his farm to him. The possibilities are endless.

1860 US Federal Census

The big question is, where is Jemima? Was she still in the city? I couldn't find her in the census. Had the deaths of her daughters prompted her to seek refuge with family back in England? Or perhaps she had simply been left out accidentally by the census taker.

Whatever happened to Jemima in the 1860 census, she was restored to her family by 1870. At this time the family had moved again, to West Farms, a town in the present day Bronx. Eliza and William were still at home.

1870 US Federal Census

In 1880, 26-year-old Eliza was the only child still living with James and Jemima. They had returned to New York City.

1880 US Federal Census

James died on October 22, 1882, at the age of 75. In the New York City directories of 1889 and 1894, she is listed as James's widow, because a woman must always be defined by her husband, even when he's dead.

1889 NYC Directory

1894 NYC Directory

Jemima died on October 25, 1896, in New York City, at the age of 79.

Of James and Jemima's surviving children, I've only been able to trace Adelade and William satisfactorily.

Adelade L. Stanton was born around 1842. I have a theory that she married Richard Kirby. Kirby is the name of a very prominent family that lived in the area where the Stantons were living in 1860, the last year that Adelade lived with her parents. Adelade Kirby's father was born in New York and her mother was born in England. She and Richard married around 1860. Perhaps they were engaged at the time of the census.

There is a Richard Kirby buried in the cemetery, but he isn't Adelade's husband. He died in 1857 at the age of 76. I believe this is Richard's grandfather. Richard's parents were named Leonard and Jane Kirby.

In 1870 the Kirbys were living in Hackensack, New Jersey, with their daughter Eveline and son Leonard. Richard was working as a ... life and something insurance agent? Something like that.

1870 US Federal Census

In 1880 the Kirbys, with their son and daughter, were living in New Barbados, New Jersey. Ten years later Adelade and Richard had returned to Hackensack with their 38-year-old daughter. Richard was working as a "dealer in fancy pottery." For some reason I find that funny. I think it's because nowadays we'd call him a fine arts dealer or something, and wouldn't use the term "fancy pottery," which sounds like it's being said by someone who's trying to make fun of it.

1900 US Federal Census

Leonard Kirby married a woman named Elizabeth in 1892. In 1900, they were living with their son Leonard Jr. and daughter Hildegard in Bergen, New Jersey. Leonard was then working as a salesman. They were still there in 1920 with 24-year-old Hildegard.

1900 US Federal Census

 In 1923, Leonard Kirby applied for a passport in order to study in England, France, and Italy for three months.

Leonard Kirby's passport application

The passport application states that Leonard was born on April 20, 1869, in Englewood, New Jersey, and married his wife Elizabeth on April 20, 1892. He lived in North Hackensack and worked as a manager (it doesn't say of what). It also states that Leonard's father Richard was deceased.

The passport application also provides a physical description of Leonard Kirby ...

Leonard Kirby's passport application

And - a photograph! Granted, this is a poor copy of it, but how exciting is it to have an image of someone connected to the cemetery?

Leonard and Elizabeth Kirby

In 1940, Leonard Kirby Jr. was living at 337 Park Street in Hackensack with his wife Delma, his son ... Leonard (groan), and his 79-year-old aunt Evelina. Leonard, Delma, and Leonard III had all graduated from college. Leonard II was working as a stock broker in the New York Stock Exchange. Leonard III was working as an apprentice of some sort.

As for Hildegard - Leonard II's sister - I couldn't find out whom or if she married. You'd be surprised by the number of Hildegards who were born in New Jersey in 1895. Apparently it was a popular name that year.

I do know that Adelade Stanton Kirby was still living in 1930 at the age of 88, a great-grandmother, at 237 Park Street in Hackensack, with her 68-year-old daughter Evelina ... more than 70 years after her sisters Annie and Emily died.

1930 US Federal Census

William J. Stanton was born around 1850 and was living with his parents in 1870, but not 1880. I believe he married Henrietta Wortendyke around 1872. Here they are living with Henrietta's parents in Jersey City in 1880. Their daughter Maude is incorrectly identified as Peter's niece.

1880 US Federal Census

Peter Wortendyke was a carpenter, and William Stanton worked in poultry.

Twenty years later, William and Henrietta were living with their son William Jr., their daughter Maude in Jersey City.

1900 US Federal Census

And ten years after that, with William, Maude, and Maude's husband Henry Emmer. William was working as a merchant in ... get this ... "fancy poultry." Henry was working as a bookkeeper.

1910 US Federal Census

In 1930, William and Henrietta were living with one lodger. At age 80, William was working as a clerk at a pet store. Their lodger, Mabel Roseman, was a manager at a music store.

1930 US Federal Census

Ten years later, William and Henrietta were living at 60 Grove Place in East Orange, New Jersey, with their 59-year-old daughter Maude, Maude's second husband Edward Keenan, and Mabel Roseman. Edward was born in Philadelphia and worked in roofing. Mabel was working as an office manager.

William thus outlived his sisters Annie and Emily by more than 80 years.

Maude Stanton Keenan died in July 1969 at the age of 89.